Animals of many species and particularly dogs, which are to be kept as pets, for hunting or for security reasons, require training to make them amenable to command and otherwise suitable for these purposes. The general procedures for training dogs for a variety of uses are well-known and widely described in the literature. A wide variety of training devices have been employed in such procedures. Unfortunately, many of the devices used previously have been inhumane in some degree. For example, dogs have been controlled by devices that administer a pinch, prick, physical jerk, jolt or buzz or an electrical shock, all of which tend to leave a lingering cutaneous sensation. Due to the pain, shock or discomfort inflicted on dogs by such devices the animals may be more or less permanently mentally or emotionally traumatized and made fearful of or antagonistic to all humans. In any event such devices must invariably hinder the creation of a bond of mutual trust and affection between the dog and handler or trainer and thus clearly act as a hindrance to the efficiency of training and the quality of the obedience achieved.
It is apparent, therefore, that a need has existed in the art for a device which will chasten an unruly dog and teach him to behave in a quieter manner without the dog attributing inhumane chastisement directly to the handler or trainer.
It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a humane animal training device which is adapted to chasten the animal without imparting residual cutaneous effect or mental or emotional trauma to the animal, and which does so without the chastisement being directly attributed to the handler or trainer.
It is a particular object of the invention to provide a device of this character which will teach a dog that it is to his advantage to sit or move quietly rather than by lunging and leaping as untrained dogs are inclined to do.
It is another object of the invention to provide a training device which becomes identifiable to the animal as a symbol of authority and obedience but which does not represent painful chastisement.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a device for controlling a dog and training it to heel and walk or run with the handler.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a dog training device which is adapted to train a dog without the presence of a handler not to lunge or jump by tethering the dog to a fixed object.
It is another and more specific object of the invention to provide a dog training device adapted to beheld manually by a handler or pivotally connected to a fixed object and which includes a staff, a leash and a spring so connected that when a dog is leashed thereon the staff is brought into contact with the dog but without lasting physical or traumatic mental effect when the dog lunges or leaps, thus humanely training the dog to avoid such behavior.